1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor package and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional semiconductor package, especially a semiconductor substrate on the major surface of which a photosensitive element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or transistor is formed is fabricated as follows. That is, a lead frame and window frame are fixed on a ceramic substrate via low-melting-point glass. After the CCD chip is fixed on the ceramic substrate, an electrode on the CCD chip, an inner lead, and an inner lead end portion having a recess are electrically connected by thin metal wires, and a cap is fixed via a thermosetting resin (e.g., JPH04-246852)
Also, an integrated circuit die for an EPROM, CCD, and another optical IC device is fabricated as follows. This integrated circuit die has a substrate having metalized vias extending therethrough. The die is attached to the first surface of this substrate and electrically connected to the metalized vias. The substrate around this die is coated with an adhesive bead. The bead covers the side surfaces of the die, the peripheral portion of the first surface in the upper portion of the die, and bonding wires. A transparent encapsulating material layer is deposited on the die in a cavity formed by the bead, and this encapsulating film is hardened, thereby forming the outer surface of the package (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,810).
The semiconductor package described in JPH04-246852 has a large thickness because external leads are included. The semiconductor package described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,810 has a substrate having metalized vias extending therethrough. That is, vias are formed in a thick rigid substrate, e.g., a glass substrate for holding an optical IC device, and conducting portions are formed on the inner surface of the substrate. This process is time-consuming, and the reliability of the process is difficult to ensure. In addition, the productivity is low because dies are mounted one by one on the substrate.